Section 14. Severe
Weather Management
17-14-1. GENERAL
a. On
a national basis,
the AT system is
most susceptible to
thunderstorm
activity between
April and October.
Thunderstorms create
a major disruption
to the normal and
organized movement
of air traffic and
significantly
increase the
workload in an
impacted facility.
To meet this
challenge, System
Operations has
charged the ATCSCC
to deal directly and
independently with
severe weather
problem areas.
b. When
the potential exists
for severe weather
which will cause a
disruption to normal
traffic movements,
the ATCSCC will
implement procedures
designed to optimize
the use of the
available airspace.
Strategic planning
is an integral part
of severe weather
management and the
responsibility of
all involved.
c. Facilities
will be called upon
to favor and accept
traffic that is not
normally routed
through their area.
In the interest of a
balanced flow and to
minimize delays, we
expect air traffic
facilities to accept
this alternate flow.
All facilities are
expected to
participate and
cooperate when
called upon. A
properly developed,
coordinated, and
implemented plan
will result in the
better use of
available airspace.
17-14-2. DUTIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
The ATCSCC must be
the final approving
authority for
alternate routes and
initiatives that
transcend center or
terminal boundaries.
a. The
ATCSCC must:
1. Be
responsible for
severe weather
management
operations.
2. Ensure
coordination is
completed to
implement TM
initiatives in
support of severe
weather management.
3. Conduct
a daily operations
critique with
affected facilities
and system
customers, as
appropriate.
4. Receive
and evaluate
facility requests
for alternate routes
and initiatives to
avoid severe
weather.
5. Coordinate
with appropriate
facilities and
customers to
determine the need
for developing
alternate routes and
initiatives to avoid
severe weather.
6. Coordinate
alternate routes
with all affected
facilities.
7. Transmit
advisories defining
severe weather areas
and alternate
routes.
8. Conference
all affected
facilities and
system users to
apprise them of
weather conditions
that will impact the
NAS.
b. Facility
TMUs must coordinate
with the ATCSCC for
matters pertaining
to severe weather.
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